Adapting to better serve our community: a letter to readers

In November we told you we were considering important changes in how we serve you news and information. In response to questions about the future, and recognizing the rapid pace at which news consumption habits are changing, today we made some key announcements.

Terry Egger, publisher and Debra Adams Simmons, editor

What’s happening with your paper?

The Plain Dealer will continue to publish in print and online seven days a week. The newspaper will be delivered to homes three days a week, including Sunday. The paper will continue to be available daily at thousands of locations across the region. An electronic edition of the newspaper also will be available daily. The e-edition looks just like the printed newspaper and can be read on your desktop, laptop, tablet or smart phone.

Plain Dealer journalists will write and produce stories for all of these devices. And, of course, these stories and all breaking news will continue to be available on Cleveland.com, the leading source of online news and information in the region.

What else is new?

A digitally-focused company, Northeast Ohio Media Group, is being formed to drive innovation and respond to the ways readers and advertisers expect to receive and distribute information. Andrea Hogben will serve as its president. Hogben, currently the senior vice president of sales and marketing for The Plain Dealer, is a Cleveland native and nearly 20-year veteran of The Plain Dealer. Northeast Ohio Media Group will create alignment in handling all advertising sales and marketing for The Plain Dealer, Cleveland.com and Sun newspapers. And, Northeast Ohio Media Group will provide content for all print and digital products.

The way people can and want to receive news and information is changing rapidly. We must drive innovation, capitalize on the tremendous strengths of our existing organizations, preserve high-quality journalism and marketing solutions, and provide greater efficiency and flexibility in serving Northeast Ohio through print and digital applications.

Towards that end, investments will continue to be made in Cleveland.com, the foundation of our digital publishing efforts. Cleveland.com will keep evolving and recently introduced a new video player, enhanced search capabilities and an easier to use home page. As always, we also welcome your feedback and questions on what else you want to see on Cleveland.com or any of our products.

In addition to providing content on all platforms, The Plain Dealer Publishing Company will provide production, distribution, finance, information technology, accounting and other support services to the two companies. Virginia Wang, currently The Plain Dealer’s chief financial officer, will serve as general manager.

What’s next?

The changes are expected later this summer. With its leadership in place, the two companies will refine their plans and keep you updated as they progress.

Why are we doing this?

All of the announced changes are driven by our desire to adapt to market changes and to continue to serve the community as the leading source of news and information for years to come.

We remain resolute in our commitment to delivering news and information for and about Northeast Ohio. Together, the two companies will have the largest news gathering operations in the region with as many as ten times the number of journalists as any other local media outlet. The Plain Dealer, Cleveland.com and Sun News readership is strong. In fact, our combined print and digital audience is larger than it has ever been. The formation of a new, digitally-focused company is a significant investment for the future.

The Northeast Ohio Media GroupNortheast Ohio -- we've got you covered. A new digitally focused media company, the Northeast Ohio Media Group, will launch this summer to help meet the rapidly changing needs of local readers and advertisers. The Northeast Ohio Media Group and The Plain Dealer Publishing Company will provide content for all print and digital platforms.

Even more important is our true value to the community. Our core competency is the information we gather for you and the stories we write about our community's most important issues, institutions and people. We will continue in that role and we will continue to do it better than anyone else, while at the same time recognizing consumers’ demand for news and information when and where they want to receive it. Our unwavering commitment to journalistic excellence remains at the heart of our work.

Follow Us

cleveland.com is powered by Plain Dealer Publishing Co. and Northeast Ohio Media Group. All rights reserved (About Us).The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Northeast Ohio Media Group LLC.